A review of pile machines and their selection criteria

The quick development of road infrastructure and dynamic development of city centers made the deep foundation systems commonly applicable [4, 11]. The piles are frequently used for transmitting external loads onto deeper layers or for improving mechanical properties of the ground, especially [1–3, 6, 10, 13]: a) loads exerted by buildings are transmitted on to stronger ground through aquifers or weak layers, b) foundation of an object below the ground level which may be washed out or removed or disturbed while performing construction works in the future, c) ground anchors against the buoyancy force, d) protections on bridges and water objects against fl oating objects and units, e) stabilization of landslides – piles are driven to the layer below the slide surface, f) limitation of earthworks and avoidance of drainage works. The use of piles may reduce the trenches and so the disturbance of natural landscape areas, g) simplifi cation of foundation or surface object, e.g. introduction of piles to the level of bridge bearing may simplify the design and performance of a pillar, h) acceleration of works.